Michael Huff (24), defending against Tony Gonzalez, has been effective since being pressed into duty at cornerback for the Raiders after two replacement options for the released Stanford Routt were injured.

Photo: Scott Cunningham, Getty Images

Michael Huff (24), defending against Tony Gonzalez, has been...

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Chiefs cornerback Stanford Routt (left), getting beat by Tampa Bay's Tiquan Underwood, was released in the offseason by the Raiders' new administration.

Stanford Routt was given a big contract to slide over in 2011 and replace Nnamdi Asomugha as the Raiders' No. 1 cornerback. But when the new regime came in, Routt was released in February, just one year into that $54.5 million, five-year contract.

The two guys that general manager Reggie McKenzie brought in to start at cornerback got hurt, so Oakland was forced to move safety Michael Huff over. That was five weeks ago, and after a rocky start, Huff was telling good buddy Asomugha, of all people, over lunch last weekend that he was better than the four-time Pro Bowler.

"It took him three years to start and get good at corner; it took me three games," he said, laughing.

Huff, on a roll, said that Asomugha had it easy when he was here with the man-to-man defense.

"We don't have that defense anymore," Huff said. "We don't just press and play man every snap. ... He didn't have to think, he didn't have to do anything."

Huff has obviously gotten comfortable after a rocky first two starts, and against the Jaguars allowed only 2 yards on one reception in the six times his man was targeted.

He has been focusing on his tackling and had four, one for a loss, along with two passes broken up against the Jaguars.

"Huff is a great talent," strong safety Tyvon Branch said. "He's one of those guys that was born to play football. He is a smart guy, is coached well, accepts coaching well, and he's made a great transition."

The 6-foot, 205-pound Huff, the Raiders' first-round draft pick in 2006, played cornerback for two years in college but has only done it sparingly in the NFL. Then-coach Hue Jackson talked about making the switch before he was fired in January, and after an awkward start at corner, Huff's athleticism and quick thinking are starting to pay off.

"There's different things you look for out at the corner position, whether it be splits, alignments ... things that you don't necessarily pay as much attention to when you're playing safety," coach Dennis Allen said. "All the little tricks of the trade are things he's beginning to pick up on and the technique he's been better at."

Starting cornerbacks Shawntae Spencer and Ron Bartell should both be back from injuries in a couple of weeks, but Huff said he doesn't care if he stays at corner or moves back to free safety.

"It doesn't matter," Huff said. "As long as I am on the field somewhere helping the defense, it's fine with me. I'll worry about that when it comes."

Allen took a similar wait-and-see approach.

"When we have to cross that bridge, we'll make those types of decisions," Allen said, "but right now we're playing him at corner, and he's done a nice job for us."

One thing is clear. Though they would never say it publicly, the Raiders have no regrets about letting go of Routt, their second-round pick in 2005.

He has allowed an average of 19.0 yards per catch this year, including at least one reception of 19 or more yards in every game, according to Pro Football Focus. Routt has yielded 361 yards on passes into his coverage on 183 snaps, an average of 1.97 yards per snap. That's fifth-worst among the 103 cornerbacks playing at least 25 percent of their team's defensive snaps.

"He has been coming on," Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said. "He has an interception. He had a rough outing the last time. He was in position to make plays, and we didn't make them. The opponent made them. Otherwise, he has been working well."

The normally talkative Routt has been almost silent this week, canceling a conference call with Bay Area reporters and staying off Twitter.

Briefly: Linebacker Aaron Curry has made enough progress coming back from his sore knees that Allen is considering activating him and playing him Sunday. Curry has been out this season on the physically unable to play list, but he is eligible to return and started practicing last week. "He's looked a little bit better every day in practice," Allen said. ... Defensive tackle Desmond Bryant was back at practice Friday with a brace on his elbow, and Allen said he expects Bryant to play Sunday.